The ‘Evil Dead’ Remake Gets Its Ash… And It’s A Girl?

To some, it is a sacrilege to even consider remaking the 1981 cult classic ‘Evil Dead’. The original film, directed by Sam Raimi (‘Spider-Man’), starred cleft-chinned Bruce Campbell as the chainsaw-toting ass-kicking Ash as he slashed his way through an army of demons. And, while the two sequels, ‘Evil Dead II’ and ‘Army of Darkness’, were much better films, the original still holds a special place in the hearts of many horror fans. And, if you’re one of those loving fans, it’s probably a good idea to stop reading this article here. You’ve been warned.

The ‘Evil Dead’ remake is based on a script from Sam Raimi with tweaks by Diablo Cody (‘Juno’). It’s directed by newcomer Fede Alvarez, who has only a handful of short films under his belt so far. To the film’s credit, it is produced by Bruce Campbell himself… but then again, ol’ Brucie is known to do some lame stuff for a buck so he may be in it for the paycheck.

However, it’s the latest casting news from the ‘Evil Dead’ front that is sure to put fans in a tizzy. Model, actress, and Phil Collin’s daughter, Lily Collins (‘Mirror, Mirror’) has just been cast in the lead role of Mia. You heard that right… lead role! According to Bloody Disgusting, who broke the news:

“Mia is the LEAD, and is the female version of Ashley J. Williams (Ash), once donned by Bruce Campbell in the original trilogy. To reveal more would ruin the movie.”

Since I’m not a huge fan of the original, I don’t mind the gender-swap for the main character. My biggest concern would be whether the script can be over-the-top enough to make it as fun as ‘Evil Dead II’.

The original Ash and the new one. Hint: That's the original on the left.

So long as it ends up with chopped up demons, lots of gore, black humor, and somebody wielding a boomstick, I’ll give it a look. Otherwise… don’t bother. I don’t want to see a watered down ‘Evil Dead’ movie for the ‘Twilight’ generation.